The Series S and X are Microsoft's next-generation gaming consoles, with the Series X, in particular, being recognized as the most powerful game console ever made. But that doesn't mean that the Series S is any sort of slouch. Now, before we get into it, we are entering into the most fun time of year for tech releases: new consoles, phones, computers, smartwatches, and everything else that goes with the holiday season. Be sure to hit that Subscribe button, so you don't miss any of the upcoming videos, and we've got a big one coming next week. All right. Now, let's get into it.
Resolution: 4K vs 1440p
These are the differences when comparing the Xbox Series S versus the Xbox Series X, starting with the resolution. The Xbox Series X was the first of the two consoles announced, and Microsoft made a big deal about all the hardware that it's packing inside this thing to make sure that it supports native 4K and even 8K gaming. Now that's the official word from Microsoft, but I'll believe that 8K part of the statement when I see it. Still, native 4K gaming at a solid 60 frames per second is a big deal and a solid jump from the Xbox One of the current generation. The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, is targeted towards 1440p gaming, also known as 2K, at up to 120 frames per second. So 1920 by 1080 is considered 1080p, and 2560 by 1440 is 1440p. That's twice the resolution of 1080p and half the resolution of 4K, which by the way, is also known as 2160p. Now, forget all the numbers, though. What this really means is that the Xbox Series S will play all the same games as the Series X at the same speeds as a Series X but in half the max resolution. So if you don't have a 4K TV, the Series S is likely your console. If you do have a 4K TV but want to save some money... and we'll get to pricing shortly... the Series S will upscale the 1440 P to 4K. So when you see people complaining online about the underpowered Series S when compared to the Series X, please be sure to inform them the areas where the S seems weaker are the areas that pertain to graphical resolution. The Series S will not feel like a slower console. Games won't load slower, et cetera. The differences between the two as it pertains to specs are all about the resolution.
Internal Storage: 1TB vs 512GB
Okay, up next, let's talk about another difference that we'll want to keep in mind, onboard storage. The Xbox Series X will ship with a one-terabyte internal super-fast SSD. Microsoft did a lot of work to virtually eliminate loading screens with the type of SSD they're using here. However, the Xbox Series S uses the exact same fast SSD architecture, so the SSD in the Series S will be just as fast, but it'll be half the size, as the Series S ships with a 512-gigabyte SSD. So two things to note here. First, the Series X will be downloading 4K and 8K game assets, which take up much more space than 1080p and 1440p assets. So even though the SSD is half the size, the game downloads on the Series S will be a lot smaller as well. Second, you'll be able to add external storage cards to the Series S and X but they'll be very high-performance drives from Seagate that are rumored to cost about $220 each for one terabyte. Now, this is pretty competitive with pricing on other PC SSDs of similar speed, but it's definitely expensive.
Physical Size
Up next, let's talk about the physical size difference between the two consoles. The Xbox Series X is the more unique of the two when you look at the size and bulk, and I imagine a lot of the reason for its size and shape is the large cooling fans on the inside. You get a symmetrical console that takes up a little more space, while with the Series S, you get the smallest Xbox console ever made. It actually looks like a miniaturized Xbox One S. It has a more traditional console appearance and doesn't take up much space at all. In fact, you can fit an Xbox Series S inside of the chassis of a Series X. That's how small it is.
Price: $499 vs $299
All right, now last, and most importantly, we've got to talk about price. Microsoft has finally revealed what they're gonna charge for both the Xbox Series S and Series X, but they've added an amazing twist on top of it, which we'll talk about as well. So first let's get right to the retail prices. The Xbox Series X will sell for $499, while the Xbox Series S will sell for $299. That's $299, the same price as the Nintendo Switch for a next-generation console that games at 1440p at 120 frames per second. However, Microsoft has also announced Xbox All Access plans for both consoles, allowing you to pay for them over two years with no interest. The costs there are $35 per month for a Series X and $25 per month for a Series S, but here's the best part. Xbox All Access plans include Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and EA Play will be included in Game Pass Ultimate starting later this month. That means that for your $25 or $35 a month, you get the Xbox Series S or X, respectively, and access to a library of almost 200 games that you can play at any time, based on the size of the combined libraries of Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play. Microsoft has also announced that all of their first-party titles will be available on Game Pass on day one. So when Halo Infinite is released, if you're an All Access member or a Game Pass member, that gets added into your library at no additional cost, all without the typical big upfront cost of a new game console, and all of which that you can stream at no additional cost using Game Pass cloud streaming to non-Xbox devices. This may very well be the best deal in gaming.
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